In training classes, we have Millennials who will have many different careers in the same room with Boomers who are single-career oriented. We have Xers with blunt communication styles working with Millennials who can be more sensitive. We have GenY who have a multi-tasking approach to work in the same room with Boomers who find multi-tasking rude. How do we create training that honors such a wide range of beliefs and behaviors? The first step is to become aware of the common profiles associated with employees of different generations. This valuable resource is filled with information about each group.http://jenniferabrams.com/Resources/downloads/AAIEGenSavvy.pdf Daniel Pink uses the term “social cartography” to describe one’s capacity to size up a situation and draw a map of how people are related to it. Effective instructors of adult learners need to consider the composition of their classes during the design phase and take this into consideration when integrating learning activities. It is also critical to be able to read the room while conducting the session. Jennifer Abrams work is sure to help us do that!

If you are a presenter, teacher, trainer – anyone facilitating a group of people through a learning experience, you face two common problems. 1. You ask for a volunteer and no one raises a hand. You really need someone to share, speak, say something…but no one has jumped on the opportunity. 2. You ask for a volunteer and everyone raises a hand. You’d like everyone to share or ask their questions, but you don’t have enough time to make that possible. Here’s a simple solution – the Chwazi Finger Chooser app (available for iOs and Android) Each person in the group places a finger on the screen simultaneously, and the app chooses for you! Whoever is left with a colorful circle around his/her finger is the lucky one! BTW, this is a great replacement for the NotIt app, which seems to have disappeared from the App Store.

Smile sheets, the common feedback forms used at the end of many training sessions, let you know if participants enjoyed the day. But is there a way to design these so that they provide you with more valuable feedback? Read this article by Anne Beninghof, published in the January, 2015 issue of TD Magazine, for some simple ideas.